Introduction

In this article we will walk you through how to set up Feedback Request on Skills from the perspective of a teacher. If you'd like more information on how this tool works, you can check out other articles here:

• Feedback Request on Skills: For Teachers (Active Assignment)

• Feedback Request on Skills: Overview

• Feedback Request on Skills: For Students

• Feedback Request on Skills: For Reviewers

Tool In Action

How this article is structured

This article walks you through the steps of an Feedback Request on Skills activity, following the same flow as the tool itself.  It will describe the process of setting up the assignment. This refers to what you can configure before the assignment is published, such as instructions, settings, deadlines, and grading rules. Students cannot access the activity at this stage. You can still edit some settings after publishing; however, once students start making progress, certain options may be locked to protect their work and data. Wherever this applies, the article will clearly note it.

Note: When you open a published activity, you’ll land on the Active Assignment view by default. To return to the setup view after publishing, click Edit in the upper-left corner of the activity.
You can see the article about the Active Assignment view of this tool here.

Accessibility

We're devoted to making our tools as accessible as possible for all learners - to read more about accessibility in FeedbackFruits tools, check this article: Accessibility: Within FeedbackFruits Tools.
 

Step 1: Instructions

In this step, you can write clear instructions for the activity. These instructions will be visible to students when they open the assignment. You can use this space to explain the purpose of the activity, what students should focus on when requesting feedback, and any expectations you have for how they engage with the feedback process.

Step 2: Feedback Request

In this step, you specify the skill criteria that will be used during the feedback process. Click configure to edit, add, or delete criteria. You can also define the instructions for the reviewer, as well as a deadline for the student to complete the request for feedback by.

Allow student criteria selection: You can enable this option to let students choose which specific skill criteria they want feedback on from the set you have defined. This encourages students to reflect on their own development areas and make intentional choices about where they need input.

You can set up criteria using:

• Rubrics – with defined levels and descriptions
• Scales – numerical rating scales
• Comment-only – qualitative feedback without ratings

For a skills-focused activity, your criteria might include competencies such as communication, professionalism, teamwork, critical thinking, or leadership. These become the options students can select from when they create their feedback request.

Step 4: Received Reviews

In this step, you can set the deadline for when students must read their feedback by.
Leave the deadline blank to allow students to complete the step indefinitely.

Grading (Optional)

After finishing setting up the core of the assignment, it is possible to add the configurable grading module. Click here to learn more about how this grading module works.

How Grade Are Calculated

When reviewers give feedback, they rate each criterion (e.g., "Clarity" or "Argumentation") by selecting a level or score.

Each selectable option can have a point value behind it, depending on how the rubric was set up, for example, a rubric level of "Excellent" might be worth 4 out of 4 points.

That selection is converted into a percentage (e.g., 4/4 = 100%, or 2/4 = 50%) and then weighted by how important that criterion is in the overall grade.

Once multiple reviewers have submitted feedback, their scores for each criterion are averaged together. The final grade shown is the average across all reviewers and all criteria, combined according to the weights you set.

Example:

• 3 reviewers rate "Clarity" — scoring 50%, 75%, and 100% → average = 75%
• That 75% is then factored in based on how much "Clarity" counts toward the total grade

In Feedback Request, grades are calculated based on two facets: the criterion ratings averaged across reviewers, and whether the student completed the activity (i.e., the invitation was sent).

When student criteria selection is enabled, students may each select a different number of criteria to receive feedback on. In this case, each student is only graded on the criteria they selected, not on the full set of criteria defined by the teacher. This means the grade calculation is personalized per student, reflecting only the feedback they actively requested.

Good to Know

• No submission step: This is the key difference from Feedback Request on Work. Students do not upload a deliverable. Reviewers provide feedback based on their direct observations of the student's skills.
• Teacher stays in control of feedback quality: You define the skill criteria, rubric descriptions, and rating scales. Students and reviewers work within the framework you've established.
• Inviting Reviewers inside the institution: Feedback Request can also be used within the institution. Students can invite reviewers, as long as they are not inside the LMS course where the activity is live.
• External reviewers don't need an account: Reviewers receive an email invitation and can complete their review through a mobile-first, no-login interface. This is designed to maximize completion rates.
• Ideal for competency-based feedback: This activity type is well suited for internship evaluations, clinical placements, practicum feedback, mentorship programs, and any context where skills are observed rather than documented.
• Student criteria selection is optional: You can choose whether students pick their own skill criteria or receive feedback on all criteria. Enabling selection adds a metacognitive step to the activity.
• Familiar configuration: If you've set up Peer Review or other FeedbackFruits tools before, the Feedback Request setup will feel very similar.